Method and apparatus for racking steel



T. D. FAHEY ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RACKING STEEL June 23, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1963 INVENTORS THOMAS D. FAHEY A OIP/VEKS' SAMUEL SCHLAGEL EDNA/PD 0. P/E/PsoN 3 M. QQ 3 June 23, 1964 T. D. FAHEY ETAL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RACKING STEEL Filed March 26, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3- INVENTORS 7710/ 1/45 0. F/IHEY SAMUEL SCHLHGEL EON/1RD P/E/PSON TTO/PNEYS United States Patent 3,138,266 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RACKING STEEL Thomas D. Fahey, Samuel Schlagel, and Edward D.

Pierson, Denver, Colo. assignors to Steel, Inc, Commerce City, Colo., a corporation of Colorado Fiied Mar. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 268,059 18 Claims. (Cl. 21416.4)

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for racking elongate relatively straight bundles of fabricated shapes in pigeonholes.

Steel is delivered from the mill in bundles which, of course, vary considerably in weight, size and length depending upon the particular item, many of these bundles weighing ten thousand pounds or more. In relatively rare instances these bundles are delivered to the user intact; however, most purchasers require considerably less than a full bundle thus necessitating a warehousing operation. Due to the size and weight of each bundle, the customary practice is to rack it by hand a piece or two at a time in pigeonholes provided for the purpose, each of which holds pieces of a certain cross-section, size and length. Then, as these items are ordered by the customer, the necessary number of pieces are withdrawn from the rack and delivered.

While similar warehousing practices are followed in other industries such as, for example, in the storage of aluminum and plastic extrusions, the problems are not the same due primarily to the tremendously greater weight of steel. In other words, little difiiculty would be experienced in loading rather large bundles of plastic pipe by hand and the time-consuming practice followed by the steel industry of subdividing the bundle in order to rack the elements thereof would, in most instances, be unnecessary. Therefore, while the same techniques to be outlined herein can be used for racking various items, the most pressing need arises in the steel warehousing industry and the description of the invention to follow presently will be confined to this need.

Ideally, steel should be racked in complete bundles rather than piece-by-piece. Because of its great Weight, this operation obviously requires the use of some type of hoisting equipment to lift the bundle to the level required for insertion into a pigeonhole. Merely lifting the load is no problem, it is the insertion thereof into the pigeonhole of the rack that causes the trouble. Assuming the hoist is fastened to the bundle in the middle, the load can only move half-way into the rack before the suspension system contacts the face of the latter. It then becomes extremely difficult to slide the load on in or even support same after the hoist is released. Lifting the load with a sling attached adjacent opposite ends thereof allows the release of the harness from the load and once it is supported by the rack; however, serious difficulties remain in connection with pushing the load on back. If, however, means were provided whereby the sling was not secured directly to the load and the latter was suspended from an extendable support which could move into the pigeonhole, the above difficulties would be largely eliminated.

In accordance with the teaching of the instant invention, an entire bundle is releasably suspended underneath a track-mounted tray of the racking mechanism. An overhead traveling crane has a sling hanging therefrom supporting the tray independent of the track adjacent opposite ends thereof. The aforementioned elementsof the racking assembly cooperate with a specially-designed rack whose pigeonholes are designed to releasably latch the track in place when extended therein. With the track secured in place along the top of the pigeonhole, the lead sling connection can be released from the tray and the hoist used to telescope the tray and load carried thereby into the pigeonhole along the track preparatory to release of the load.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for racking steel and the like.

A second object is the provision of apparatus of the character described that will lift and rack bundles made up of various shapes, sizes and lengths with equal facility.

Another object of the invention herein claimed is to provide means for racking bundles of steel that is operable by one person in a fraction of the time ordinarily required for such an operation.

Still another object is the provision of a load-supporting tray having an extendable track associated therewith adapted for releasable attachment to a steel rack.

An additional objective is the provision of improved mechanisms associated with a tray for attaching and releasing irregular loads suspended therefrom.

Further objects of the invention forming the subject matter hereof are to provide a steel racking apparatus that is easy to use, versatile, relatively inexpensive, compact, rugged, safe, efficient and substantially indestructable despite the hard use for which it is intended.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out specifically hereinafter in connection with the description of the drawings that follows, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the tray and extendable rack assembly showing the slings supporting the tray in section;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation to an enlarged scale with portions broken away to conserve space revealing the sling support for the tray assembly and the manner in which the bundle of steel is suspended from the underside of the tray;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view of the tray without the extendable track;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation to a reduced scale illustrating the manner in which the track is extended and releasably latched to the frame elements of a pigeonholed rack, portion of the latter having been shown in section;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail showing the cable latching mechanism that holds the load under the tray, portions having been broken away and sectioned to better reveal the construction;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the rail latching mechanism, portions having been shown in section;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse section to an enlarged scale taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 8 is a front elevation to an enlarged scale revealing the construction of the load-release and loadsecuring mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention and, initially, to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 for this purpose, it will be seen that the load-carrying apparatus, which has been designated in a general way by reference numeral 10, includes a tray and an extendable track, the latter having been referred to broadly by numbers 12. and 14, respectively. This load-carrying apparatus 10 is used in combination with a double-hook traveling hoist 16 (FIGURES 2, 4 and 7) and a pigeonholed rack 18 (FIGURE 4). The tray 12 comprises an elongate flat bed 20 having downturned parallel flanges 22 on the side margins thereof that carry a plurality of longitudinally-spaced track-mounting trunnions 24 thereinto which the loads are to be deposited. On the end of the tray nearest the operator which, for purposes of the present description will be designated the front end even though the opposite or rear end thereof leads the load-carrying assembly into the pigeonhole, a heavy-gage inverted L-shaped mounting 26 is welded in place. The horizontal section 23 of this plate has an inverted U- shaped yoke 30 permanently attached thereto which receives the front hook 32 of the double-hook hoist 16. The vertical face 34, on the other hand, carries the loadreleasing mechanism 36 as well as a portion of the loadfastening mechanism that has been designated generally by reference numeral 33.

A pair of channel-shaped rails 40 are mounted for parallel longitudinal rolling movement on the trunnions and are interconnected across the top of the tray by cross-frame braces 42 to form track 14. A curved band of metal 44 perferably joins the rails at the rear end of the track and helps guide same into the pigeonholes in the rack. Adjacent the rear or lead end of the track, a pair of rearwardly-opening track-engaging hooks 46 project upwardly from the rails in transversely-spaced relation to one another. Near the front end, a releasable hook latch mechanism 43 is secured to the track rails in position to engage the face of the rack.

The manner and mechanism by which the load-carrying assembly is lifted and moved from place to place can best be described in connection with FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 7 to which reference will now be made. It has already been mentioned that one hook of the double-hook hoist is connected to the yoke 30 on the front end of the tray. The other book 50 of the hoist is a specially-designed one best seen in FIGURE 7 that engages the bottom edges of the down-turned flanges 22 of the tray and supports the latter without interfering with the telescopic movement of track 14 thereon. In the particular form shown, this special hook Sil has a pair of generally crossshaped elements 52 connected together in face-to-face spaced relation by pins 54 located at the ends of the cross-arm portion 56 and a third pin 58 at the top end of the stem-portion 66. Pin 58 is attached to the chain sling 62 of the hoist. Pins 58, on the other hand, provide pivots for the upper extremities of hook-arms 64 that are mounted in the gap between the cross-shaped elements 52. These hook-arms 64 range downwardly and outwardly around the rails and back under the tray where they hook under flanges 22. It will be perfectly apparent from an examination of FIGURE 7 that the entire track mechanism is free to roll back and forth relative to the tray without hook 50 interfering.

Hook 50 has also been shown equipped with a release mechanism whereby the arms 64 thereof can be easily detached from the tray when the time comes to roll the load into the pigeonholes. The lower end of one of the cross-shaped elements 52 is slotted as at 66 to receive a fourth pin 68 for vertical sliding movement. Links '70 connect each of the hook arms 64 to this pin 68 at pivot points 72 spaced downwardly from pins 58. Thus, when pin 68 is raised in notch 66, links 70 will cause both hook arms 64 to swing apart until they occupy the dottedline position shown for one of the arms in FIGURE 7. Pin 68 is raised by means of dog-leg crank 74 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to one of the pins 54 and a connecting link '76 connected between the end of the crank and pin 68. A lanyard 78 may be attached, if desired, to the other end of the crank for the purpose of actuating hook 50 from below.

Now, irrespective of the procedure used to rack the steel, the bundles thereof are customarily lowered onto blocks when they are unloaded from the flat car bed or other vehicle used to deliver them to the warehouse. Therefore, it is possible to run a cable or similar securing means underneath the bundle at many different points throughout the length thereof. Steps similar to these followed when securing a hoist sling to such an elevated 4- bundle are followed when suspending a bundle from the underside of the load-carrying assembly. It should, perhaps, be mentioned that any bundle ties should be removed before inserting same into the pigeonhole because the individual pieces becorne extremely hard to remove if they remain tied together.

Next, the manner of releasably securing the bundle to the bottom of the tray will be described in connection with FIGURES 3, 5, 7 and 8. Secured to the underside of the tray bed between the downturned flanges thereof are two or more tubular guides that have been designated by reference characters 30, 82 and 34. Each of these guide tubes is of successively greater length, tube 80 terminating near the front end, tube 82 extending about half the length of the tray, and tube 84 ending just short of the rear end. The portions 86 of these tubes adjacent the front end are arranged in side-by-side parallel relation nearer one flange 22 than the other to leave an open space extending the entire length of the tray for the load-releasing mechanism 36. All of these tubes open onto the front of the tray through key slots 33 in the end plate 26. As shown, the shortest tube 80 lies up against flange 22 and is straight. Tubes 82 and 34, on the other hand, have angular offsets therein which enable them to also terminate alongside the same flange 22 as tube St) once they have passed the end of the next shorter tube. In other words, an examination of FIGURE 3 will reveal that the remote extremities of all three tubes are longitudinally aligned along an outside edge of the tray so that the cables 96 that pass therethrough will remain accessible on one side of the load after the loadcarrying assembly is superimposed thereon.

Cables 91) are of the same general length as the tubes in which they are housed and have a length of chain 92 affixed to their front end and an eye 94 on their rear extremity. These chain sections pass out onto the front end of the tray through the key slots 88. The cables are stored with the eyes at the tube ends as shown in FIGURE 3. When one of the chain links drops into the narrow part of the key slot as shown in FIGURE 8, it is obvious that the cable cannot be drawn through the tube and, therefore, this is the secured position of the cables. However, in running these cables underneath the bundle, it is an advantage to have the chains released from the keyslots and rendered more or less free-running. The mechanism 38 by which this is accomplished is best seen in FIGURE 8 to which reference will now be made.

Fastened to the front of the end plate 26 immediately underneath the key slots is a plate 96 having a pair of spaced parallel diagonal slots 98 therein that receive pins mounted in fixed position on said end plate. This plate and its diagonal slots are so arranged that when said plate slides upwardly and to the left as viewed in FIG- URE 8, it will cover the narrow sections of the key slots and lift the chains up into the circular portions where the links will not catch. This elevated or released position has been shown in dotted lines in FIG- URE 8.

Actuation of plate 96 betx een its released and secured position is accomplished by means of a dog-leg crank 102 pivoted at one end to pin 104 and a link 166 pivotally attached to the plate and crank at the bend in the latter. It is obvious that by swinging the crank from the horizontal position shown downwardly into a vertical position, it will act through link 106 to push the plate 96 up and to the left.

When attaching the load-carrying assembly to a bundle, the tray is lowered over the latter so that at least two cables can be passed underneath and preferably three. Insofar as possible, one cable should pass under each end of the load with at least one holding up the middle. While the load-carrying apparatus illustrated herein only has three cables in all, the actual production units usually have five to accommodate loads of varying lengths and provide at least a three-cable suspension for even the short ones. It makes no difference where along the tray theload is fastened as long as it does not extend much beyond the tray ends because even though the load should be left in the extreme front of the pigeonhole for accessibility, this can be accomplished, as will be seen presently, by not running the tray all the way in on the track.

Now, with the load-carrying assembly in place over the load and the cables released so that they can be pulled from the tubes, the eyes are passed underneath the load and secured with releasable latch assembly 38 which will be described in detail by referring once again to FIG- URES 3, 5, 7 and 8. This latch assembly is located on the opposite side of the tray from cable ends 94 for the obvious reason that it, too, must remain accessible alongside the bundle. Opposite each tube end is located a spring-biased latch pin 108 mounted for reciprocal movement within apertured guide plates 110, 112, 114 and 116, all of which are fastened to tray flange 22 in longitudinally-spaced substantially parallel relation to one another. A collar 118 is secured to the pin between plates 112 and 110, the latter engaging said collar and limiting the retracted position thereof. A second collar 120 is fastened to pin 108 between plates 114 and 112. Helical compression spring 122 is coiled about the pin in abutting relation to collar 120 and plate 112. Thus, spring 122 biases the pin into its extended or latched position. The gap between plates 114 and 116 crossed by the pin is where the eye 94 on the end of the adjacent cable is placed. Each of the pins is retracted individually by pulling it toward the front of the tray so that the cable eye can be inserted. Then, of course, the pin is released to pass through the eye and 'into the aperture in the rearmost plate 116. After all the cables are secured in this same manner under the load, it is necessary to take up the slack left therein and latch the chains into the key slots. To do this, each chain is pulled out of the key slot as far as it will come and the crank 102 actuated to drop plate 96 so that a link of each chain will fasten itself into the narrow portion of said slot. The bundle is now ready to be lifted and shoved into the proper pigeonhole; however, before describing this operation it would, perhaps, be Well to describe the mechanism by which all the cables are released simultaneously even though the releasing step comes somewhat later.

Reference will continue to be made to FIGURES 3, 5, 7 and 8 as these figures show the cable-release mechanism most clearly. Apertured plate 116 is considerably larger than the other and it contains a second opening 124. These openings 124 in the several plates 116 are longitudinally aligned with one another and carry a single elongate rod 126 therein for reciprocal movement. The rod has attached thereto a series of pin-retracting elements 128 which bridges the space between the rod and each latch pin 108. The latch pins pass through openings 13% (FIGURE in the pin-retractors and are freelyreciprocative therein. Thus, the pins can be retracted and released into the cable eyes 94 without disturbing rod 126. Pin retractors 128 receive the pins 108 between collars 120 and apertured plate 114. An examination of FIG- URES 3 and 5 will show that drawing rod 126 toward the front end of the tray will cause the pin-retractors 123 carried thereby to simultaneously retract all of the pins 108 against the bias of their compression springs thereby letting-go of the cables and allowing the load to drop free.

Rod 126 emerges onto the front of the tray through an opening in the end plate where it is attached pivotally to an actuator lever 132 as can best be seen in FIGURES 3 and 8. A clevis 134 is provided on the face of the end plate that pivotally mounts the actuator with a last-motion coupling that accommodates the translatory movement of said acuator as it swings forwardly to withdraw the rod. In the particular form shown, the actuator is provided with a safety catch 136 that is pivotally attached thereto'and hooks over the edge of the end plate 26 to prevent accidental release of the load. A tension spring 138 connected between the actuator and catch biases .the latter into latched position. Therefore, to release the load it is first necessary to unlatch the safety catch and swing the actuator forwardly in an arcuate path thus pulling the rod out far enough to retract the latch pins.

Before describing the steps employed in pigeonholing the bundle, it will be well to describe the rack 18 which is of special design and is best seen in FIGURE 4 to which reference will now be made. The rack includes a'series of upright posts 140 and 142 arranged in longitudinallyspaced parallel rows. All the posts are substantially vertical and the spacing between at least two of the transverse rows is maintained to close tolerances. Also, in practice, the transverse spacing between posts of the same row is uniform in both rows so that they end up in longitudinal alignment forming transversely-spaced parallel lines extending from front to rear. The transverse spacing between the posts of each row, of course, determines the width of the pigeonholes which, for purposes of the present invention need not be the same; however, it is far simpler to make all pigeonholes the same size and large enough to accommodate more than one bundle of any item likely to be stored therein. Channel-shaped crossframe members 144 bridge the space between the posts of each transverse row with their flange 148 extending forwardly. It is most important that the cross-frame members of at least two of the rows lie in the same substantially horizontal plane, lie in parallel relation to one another and be the same fixed distance apart because these cross-frame elements form the supports for the loadcarrying assembly as the bundle is moved into the pigeonhole. The cross-frame elements are welded to the front faces of the uprights which usually constitute I-bearns.

Now, the pigeonholes 150 are formed by rectangular openings lying one behind the other in the parallel walls defined by the uprights and cross-frame members. For the sake of simplicity in illustration, only two sets of interconnected uprights and cross-frame members have been illustrated and the load-carrying assembly has been shown considerably shorter than it actually is for handling long lengths. Accordingly, there are usually intermediate frame walls of the same type located between those that have been illustrated serving as supports-for the medial sections of the bundle. Such intermediate walls need not be precisely positioned as the load-carrying assembly is not suspended from them. It is, however, important that they not interfere in any way with the attachment of the track to the cross-frame elements which are precisely located to support same.

With the load 152 suspended beneath the tray as shown in FIGURE 2, the entire load-carrying assembly is raised by the double-hook hoist to a position aligned with and in front of the pigeonhole 150 into which said bundle is to be inserted. Note that this pigeonhole will probably already'contain several elements 154like that which comprises the bundle 152 as shown in FIGURE 4. These previously-racked elements will, of course, rest in the bottom of the pigeonhole supported between the bottom cross-frame elements 144 and 146. Preparatory to inserting the track into the pigeonhole, the releasable hook mechanism 48 is rocked forwardly, i.e. away from the rack, into the released position of FIGURE 2.

When the load-carrying assembly is in proper position in front of the pigeonhole up near the top thereof, the track 14 is extended and the pair of fixed rearwardly opening hooks 46 are hooked over the bottom flange 148 of the upper rear channel-shaped cross-frame element that has been designated 1461 in FIGURE 4. Channel 1461: immediately underneath supports the load and provides the support for the track when loading the next lower pigeonhole. In order to engage hooks 46 it is necessary to drop the front end of the load-carrying assembly slightly so that stop 156 carried by the track interconnecting the rails can pass underneath front upper channel 144:. Once hooks 46 are in place, the hoist can be employed to raise the track until stop 156 locks in behind 7 channel 144t as shown in FIGURE 4. Hooks 46, of course, function to hold up the rear end of the loadcarrying assembly when rear hook 50 is released. Stop 156, on the other hand, prevents hooks 46 from backing off the flange while the releasable hook is being latched.

The releasable hook mechanism can best be seen in FIGURES 1, 2 and 6 to which reference will now be made. One hook element 158 is mounted on a pin 160 for rockable arcuate movement on the outside of each rail. A pair of parallel arms 162 are pivotally attached to hooks 158 above their pivot pins and extend forwardly therefrom to where they are interconnected across the top of the track by an operating handle 164 that can best be seen in FIGURE 1. Fixed to the outside of the rails are stops 166 spaced rearwardly of the hooks. Corresponding dogs 168 are fastened to the underside of arms 162. The downturned ends of handle 164 are grasped on either side of the track to move the arms 162 and associated hooks 158 are rocked rearwardly simultaneously about their pivots until dogs 168 drop in behind stops 166 as shown in both FIGURES 4 and 6. Thus, the hooks 158 and 46 suspend the track from channels 1442 and 146i; whereas, hooks 158 and stops 156 prevent the hooks from backing off the flanges. Dogs 168 quite obviously prevent hooks 158 from coming loose from their flanges when located behind stops 166.

The track 14 has now been extended into pigeonhole 150 and securely locked to channels 144t and 146! which effectively support the rear end of the load-supporting assembly. The bundle, however, is still outside along with the tray 12. Next, hook 50 is released from the tray allowing the latter and its load to be shoved into the pigeonhole by means of the hoist and the single book remaining attached to the front end of the tray. Once the bundle is located in proper position in the pigeonhole, catch 136 is unhooked from the end plate and actuating handle 132 of the cable release mechanism is swung forwardly. This immediately and simultaneously retracts all of the pins 108 unhooking the cables and allowing the load to drop into the bottom of the pigeonhole.

The next step is to turn crank 102 downwardly and inwardly to raise the chains into the circular portions of the key slots. This is done so that all of the cables can be drawn back into their tubes where they will not catch on the material just dropped into the pigeonhole. Then the tray is once again hooked out of the pigeonhole, whereupon hook 50 is reattached. Finally, hooks 46 and 158 are unhooked from the cross-frame flanges and the track telescoped back onto the tray. This completes the cycle which, while it takes a lengthy dissertation to describe, is actually completed from beginning to end in a matter of a few minutes.

In closing it should be mentioned that many of the specific mechanisms just described such as, for example, hook 50, book latch mechanism 48, cable-release mechanism 36 and the latch pin assembly are intended as being merely illustrative of one of several ways in which the end results that they accomplish can be achieved.

Also, while the method and apparatus hereinabove described contemplates the use of a double-hook hoist as the most efficient means of accomplishing the racking operation, it is to be clearly understood that the same results can be realized through the use of a single-hook crane even though somewhat less efficiently. For example, by hooking it single-hook crane to the center of the tray until such time as the track is extended and secured within the pigeonhole, it becomes possible to use some type of adjustable ground-supported member to hold up the free end of the tray while the hook is released from its mid-point suspension and refastened to said free end. The net effect, however, remains that of a double-hook hoist despite the fact that these operations are performed in two separate steps.

Accordingly, realizing that certain changes and modi- 8 fications in the specific structures that have been described herein may well occur to those skilled in the art within the broad teachings set forth above, it is our intention that the scope of protection afforded hereby shall be limited only insofar as said limitations are expressly stated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination in an apparatus for racking steel and the like: mobile power hoist means adapted to lift a load and transport same from place to place, said hoist means including connecting means adapted for attachment adjacent opposite ends of an elongated load to provide a two-point suspension therefor; rack means having a plurality of pigeonholes therein capable of storing an elongated load in essentially horizontal position, said pigeonholes being defined by at least two longitudinally spaced walls formed by vertical uprights interconnected at intervals by a plurality of horizontal cross-frame elements arranged one above the other in parallel relation; and, load-pigeonholing means adapted to insert a load attached thereto into a pigeonliole of the rack means, said loadpigeonholing means comprising elongated tray means capable of attachment to the connecting means, loadsecuring means carried by the tray means adapted to releasably fasten an elongated load to the underside thereof, extendable track means mounted on the tray means for longitudinal telescopic movement relative thereto independent of the load, latch means carried by the track means positioned and adapted to releasably fasten same to a pair of longitudinally-spaced cross frame elements of the rack means that extend across the top of a pigeonhole therein, said latch means being operative in latched position on the cross-frame elements of the rack means to support one-end of the load-pigeonholing means including the load fastened thereto thus permitting said end to be disconnected from the connecting means of the hoist means while leaving the other end suspended therefrom, and said track means when in extended position inside the pigeonhole attached to the rack means being operative to support the tray means including the load suspended therefrom while both are moved into the pigeonhole with the aid of the hoist means, and load-release means connected to the load-securing means operative upon actuation to unfasten the load and allow the latter to drop into the pigeonhole.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the mobile power hoist means comprises a double-hook overhead traveling crane.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the cross-frame elements of the rack means have flanges along the bottom edges thereof facing the entry to the pigeonhole, and in which the latch means carried by the track means comprises longitudinally-spaced pairs of hooks positioned and adapted to hook onto said cross-frame element flanges.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in Which the load-securing means comprises, at least two flexible connectors located adjacent opposite ends of the tray means and adapted to be passed underneath the load, and a latch for the free end of each connector adapted for instantaneous release even with said flexible connectors under load.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the load-release means is actuatable from the end of the tray nearest the entry into the pigeonhole and said release means is operative upon actuation to simultaneously release the load-securing means from both ends of the load.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which the connecting means of the hoist means includes at least one instantly-releasable hook adapted for attachment to the tray means at the end thereof positioned to first enter the pigeonhole.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which a series of trunnions rolling within channel-shaped rails comprise the telescopic connection between the track means and tray means.

8. The subcombination of a load-pigeonholing means for use in combination with a mobile power hoist and a pigeonholed rack having longitudinally-spaced cross frame elements extending across the top of each pigeonhole which comprises: elongated tray means adapted for suspension from the power hoist at longitudinally-spaced points adjacent its ends; load-securing means carried by the tray adapted to releasably fasten an elongated load to the underside thereof; extendable track means mounted on the tray means for longitudinal telescopic movement relative thereto independent of the load; latch means carried by the track means positioned and adapted to fasten onto the cross-frame members extending across the top of the pigeonhole, said latch means functioning to support the entire load-pigeonholing means including the load supported thereby while the hoist is disconnected from the end of the tray nearest the entry into the pigeonhole, and said track means when extended and fastened to the rack forming means adapted to support the tray including the load carried on the underside thereof for movement into the pigeonhole; and, load-release means connected to the load-securing means operative upon actuation to uncouple the load from the tray and allow the latter to drop free.

9. The subcombination as set forth in claim 8 in which, the load-securing means comprises, at least two flexible connectors located adjacent opposite ends of the tray means and adapted to be passed underneath the load, and a latch for the free end of each connector adapted for instantaneous release even with said flexible connectors under load.

10. The subcombination as set forth in claim 8 in which load-release means is actuatable from the end of the tray nearest the entry into the pigeonhole and said release means is operative upon actuation to simultaneously release the load-securing means from both ends of the load.

11. The subcombination as set forth in claim 8 in which a series of trunnions rolling within channel-shaped rails comprise the telescopic connection between the track means and tray means.

12. The subcombination as set forth in claim 8 in which the tray means includes an elongate flat bed, parallel flanges bordering the sides of the bed, and a plurality of trunnions journalled for rotation in longitudinally spaced relation along both flanges, and, in which the track means comprises a pair of channel-shaped rails mounted on the trunnions for longitudinal rolling movement, and a plurality of transverse elements interconnecting the rails across the top of the tray bed.

13. The subcombination as set forth in claim 10 in which the load-securing means comprises, at least two retractable cables, at least one of said cables being located adjacent opposite ends of the tray means, a latch carried by the tray positioned and adapted to fasten onto the free end of each cable, said latch being operative to open and release said cable end with the latter under tension, and retraction means associated with each cable for removing the slack therefrom.

14. The subcombination as set forth in claim 11 in which the load-securing means comprises at least two retractable flexible connectors located adjacent opposite ends of the tray, retractable-pin type latches spring-biased into latched position carried by the tray across from each of the connectors, said latches being adapted to releasably fasten a free end of the connector to the tray in supporting relation to a load suspended thereon, and retraction means associated with each flexible connector for re moving slack therein; and, in which the load-release means comprises pin-retraction elements connected to each latch pin and operative from an end of the tray means to simultaneously open said latches.

15. The subcombination as set forth in claim 11 in which the latch means for fastening the track to flanged cross-frame members of the rack comprise a pair of fixed flange-engaging hooks located in transversely-spaced relation adjacent the lead end of the track means, a pair of movable flange-engaging hooks mounted for pivotal movement in transversely-spaced relation to one another adjacent the following end of the track means, and locking means interconnecting the movable pair of flangeengaging hooks to the track means, said locking means being operative upon actuation to latch said movable hooks in engaged position.

16. The subcombination as set forth in claim 13 in which the cable retraction means comprises a section of chain secured to the end of each cable opposite that to be releasably latched, and a key slot in the tray means adapted to pass and selectively lock on a link of the chain section.

17. Apparatus for carrying elongated items to a rack having horizontally-disposed pigeonholes and unloading same therein which comprises, elongated tray means adapted for insertion into the pigeonhole, means for releasably securing a load to the underside of the tray means, track means extendable from the tray means into the pigeonhole ahead of the load, hook means on the track means, means for securing the hook means to the rack in the top of the pigeonhole, and means for releasing the load following insertion thereof into the pigeonhole along with the tray means while supported by the track means.

18. The method of racking elongate elements in a rack having horizontally-disposed pigeonholes therein by means of a tray having an extendable track which comprises the steps of, releasably fastening the load to the underside of the tray, elevating the tray with the load suspended therefrom into position to enter the pigeonhole, extending the track into the pigeonhole, attaching the track to the rack in the top of the pigeonhole, moving the tray along the track until the load is Within the pigeonhole, and releasing the load from the tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,581,873 Romero Apr. 20, 1926 1,929,447 Remde Oct. 10, 1933 2,946,460 Insolio et al July 26, 1960 

1. IN COMBINATION IN AN APPARATUS FOR RACKING STEEL AND THE LIKE: MOBILE POWER HOIST MEANS ADAPTED TO LIFT A LOAD AND TRANSPORT SAME FROM PLACE TO PLACE, SAID HOIST MEANS INCLUDING CONNECTING MEANS ADAPTED FOR ATTACHMENT ADJACENT OPPOSITE ENDS OF AN ELONGATED LOAD TO PROVIDE A TWO-POINT SUSPENSION THEREFOR; RACK MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF PIGEONHOLES THEREIN CAPABLE OF STORING AN ELONGATED LOAD IN ESSENTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION, SAID PIGEONHOLES BEING DEFINED BY AT LEAST TWO LONGITUDINALLY SPACED WALLS FORMED BY VERTICAL UPRIGHTS INTERCONNECTED AT INTERVALS BY A PLURALITY OF HORIZONTAL CROSS-FRAME ELEMENTS ARRANGED ONE ABOVE THE OTHER IN PARALLEL RELATION; AND, LOAD-PIGEONHOLING MEANS ADAPTED TO INSERT A LOAD ATTACHED THERETO INTO A PIGEONHOLE OF THE RACK MEANS, SAID LOADPIGEONHOLDING MEANS COMPRISING ELONGATED TRAY MEANS CAPABLE OF ATTACHMENT TO THE CONNECTING MEANS, LOADSECURING MEANS CARRIED BY THE TRAY MEANS ADAPTED TO RELEASABLY FASTEN AN ELONGATED LOAD TO THE UNDERSIDE THEREOF, EXTENDABLE TRACK MEANS MOUNTED ON THE TRAY MEANS FOR LONGITUDINAL TELESCOPIC MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO INDEPENDENT OF THE LOAD, LATCH MEANS CARRIED BY THE TRACK MEANS POSITIONED AND ADAPTED TO RELEASABLY FASTEN SAME TO A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY-SPACED CROSS FRAME ELEMENTS OF THE RACK MEANS THAT EXTEND ACROSS THE TOP OF A PIGEONHOLE THEREIN, SAID LATCH MEANS BEING OPERATIVE IN LATCHED POSITION ON THE CROSS-FRAME ELEMENTS OF THE RACK MEANS TO SUPPORT ONE END OF THE LOAD-PIGEONHOLING MEANS INCLUDING THE LOAD FASTENED THERETO THUS PERMITTING SAID END TO BE DISCONNECTED FROM THE CONNECTING MEANS OF THE HOIST MEANS WHILE LEAVING THE OTHER END SUSPENDED THEREFROM, AND SAID TRACK MEANS WHEN IN EXTENDED POSITION INSIDE THE PIGEONHOLE ATTACHED TO THE RACK MEANS BEING OPERATIVE TO SUPPORT THE TRAY MEANS INCLUDING THE LOAD SUSPENDED THEREFROM WHILE BOTH ARE MOVED INTO THE PIGEONHOLE WITH THE AID OF THE HOIST MEANS, AND LOAD-RELEASE MEANS CONNECTED TO THE LOAD-SECURING MEANS OPERATIVE UPON ACTUATION TO UNFASTEN THE LOAD AND ALLOW THE LATTER TO DROP INTO THE PIGEONHOLE. 